Africa-Press – Eswatini. High Court – It was literally silence in the court when the video footage showing the former Cabinet minister gunning down three men at Mhlabubovu was played during Ntuthuko Dlamini’s murder trial.
In fact one could hear a needle drop on the floor as the video footage was played by High Court system administrators just after the lunch break. The video that was produced as part of exhibits before Judge Maxine Langwenya relived the events that unfolded during the deadly shooting as Ntuthuko in the video that went viral at some point in 2020, is seen shouting at one of the people to the effect that he was not talking to him but a Bhekwako Mkhabela.
One of the people in the video was also heard shouting at Ntuthuko to the effect that he should not label them as timfucuta.
All of a sudden the former legislator is seen in the video pulling out his pistol aiming at the victims and shooting them with several shots being fired and that is when the majority of the people realised how serious the situation was and ran halter skelter. Throughout the about five-minute footage, Ntuthuko was seen with his eyes glued to the big screen placed in a fully packed Court G.
In the other video footage handed by Detective Constable Mthobisi Vilakati from the Digital Forensic Laboratory, Ntuthuko before the shooting is seen telling the people that he was born and bred at LaMgabhi and he knows the issue of the land dispute and that it was dealt with and finalised by Liqoqo both at Lozitha and Ludzidzini.
Video
The Crown represented by prosecuting Council Ncamsile Masuku indicated that they would produce the video footage as part of their evidence and sought the assistance of the system administrators to set up the big screen for the electronic evidence.
This is the same video that was recorded by Sihle Dlamini which went viral in 2020 immediately after the shooting and many had anticipated that it would be used as evidence in court when the trial resumed.
The former minister is accused of shooting to death three men Sikhulu Shongwe, a retired police officers, Themba Tsabedze and Simon Dlamini who were members of the inner council for Luyengweni Royal Kraal, an incident that happened on September 7, 2020.
Ntuthuko pleads not guilty to all three charges
Former minister of the Crown Ntuthuko Michael Dlamini has pleaded not guilty to all three charges of murder and one of contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act.
During the first day of his murder trial before Judge Maxine Langwenya, the former legislator who appeared remorseful while standing in the accused’s dock, pleaded not guilty to intentionally, unlawfully and illegally killing former police officer Sikhulu Shongwe by shooting him with a pistol while at Mhlabubovu area when the charge was put to him.
The Crown represented by prosecuting counsel Ncamsile Masuku again put the second charge to Dlamini in which she stated that the accused was guilty of the crime of murder in that on or about September 7, 2020 at or near Mhlabubovu area in the Manzini region, he did wrongfully, unlawfully and with intent to kill, shot and killed Themba Tsabedze. Dlamini also pleaded not guilty.
Charge
When Masuku put the third charge to Dlamini that he is guilty of murder in that on or about September 7, 2020 at or near Mhlabubovu, he unlawfully and with intent to kill, shot and killed Simon Dlamini by shooting him, again he pleaded not guilty.
Simon died while undergoing treatment at the Mbabane Government Hospital after the shooting while the two Tsabedze and Shongwe died on the spot.
On the last count of contravening the Arms and Ammunition Act by being found in illegal possession of an unlicensed firearm, a brown pistol with serial number B57135, the former LaMgabhi Member of Parliament pleaded not guilty.
His lawyer Noncedo Ndlangamandla confirmed all the pleas made by her client and the trial kicked off with the first witness Luyengweni Royal Kraal Indvuna Dumisa Ginindza being paraded by the Crown.
Dressed in a navy blue suit matching with a white shirt and red neck tie, Ntuthuko remained glued to his seat for the better part of the first leg of the trial before the lunch break as evidence was led by the Crown.
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